LONGVIEW - The three-county Longview metro area of Gregg, Rusk and Upshur counties saw unemployment fall to 5.7 percent for September 2012, down from 6.2 percent in August and 7.3 percent a year ago. It was the first time below 6 percent since May, when the rate was 5.9 percent.

In the Longview Metropolitan Statistical Area, 108,600 people were employed in September, up from 108,300 in August. The number of area workers unemployed was 6,600, down from 7,200 a month earlier and 8,000 a year ago.

Statewide, the percentage of workers looking for jobs fell to 6.8 percent in September from 7.1 percent in August and 7.9 percent a year ago.

Seven of the 11 major industries in Texas expanded. The biggest gain was in professional and business services, which gained 13,600 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities added 9,100 jobs and education and health services added 6,600 jobs.

Elsewhere in East Texas, the Tyler MSA had an unemployment rate of 6.5 percent in September, down from 7.2 percent in August. Texarkana was at 6.1 percent, down from 6.7 in August.